The Odyssey.
by Homer
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Venice: Aldine Press, 1524. Rare third Aldine edition of Homer's The Odyssey. Small octavo, original vellum with the title to the spine in manuscript, with woodcut Aldine device to title and final colophon leaf. In excellent condition with some minor toning to the leaves. Exceptionally rare, with only two having appeared at auction in the last 80 years. This is one of the earliest obtainable examples of Homer's landmark work. One of the two major ancient Greek poems attributed to Homer, The Odyssey is the second-oldest extant work of Western literature, while the Iliad is the oldest. The work was likely composed near the end of the 8th century B.C.E. in the Greek coastal region of Anatolia in an oral tradition which was more likely intended to be performed that read. The story details the epic ten-year journey of the Greek hero, Odysseus, King of Ithaca, who has been assumed dead after the fall of Troy.
Synopsis
Listen, O Muse, and hear my song, Of the great adventures that took so long, Of the noble Odysseus, king of Ithaca, Whose journey was filled with many a setback. The tale begins with the end of the Trojan War, When the Greeks set sail from the Trojan shore. Odysseus and his men faced many a danger, From the wrath of the gods to the Cyclops' anger. They sailed through storms and fought with beasts, But despite all odds, they made it to their feast, And there, in the halls of the goddess Circe, Odysseus learned of the dangers he'd soon see. He sailed on to the land of the dead, To hear from the spirits what lay ahead, And learned of Scylla and Charybdis' might, And the Sirens' song that would lead to his plight. But he pressed on, through trials and strife, And with the help of Athena, he saved his life. He arrived home to Ithaca, his wife and son, But his troubles were far from done. His kingdom was overrun with suitors bold, Who sought to claim his wife and gold, But with cunning and strength, he won the day, And all the suitors were slain or driven away. And so ends the tale of Odysseus' quest, His trials and tribulations put to rest. But his story lives on through the ages, A masterpiece of literature on history's pages. Published in ancient Greece so long ago, By Homer, a poet whose name we all know, "The Odyssey" remains a classic work of art, A testament to the human spirit and heart. - The Odyssey - a summary in poetry by Chatgpt The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems (along with The Iliad) attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving pieces of literature, also important because it is still studied and read widely today. Originally written around the 8th or 7th century BC in Homeric Greek, The Odyssey was passed down mainly by oral tradition. The text was used in schools and studied by scholars as early as the 4th century. Scholars in Alexandria organized the 12,000-line poem into 24 books. The first English translation of The Odyssey was produced in the 16th century.
Read More: Identifying first editions of The Odyssey.
Reviews
On Jan 30 2007, Shilpy said:
this book is good. you gain knowledge about greek.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Raptis Rare Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 91267
- Title
- The Odyssey.
- Author
- Homer
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Aldine Press
- Place of Publication
- Venice
- Date Published
- 1524
- Keywords
- Aldine Press, Homer, Odyssey
Terms of Sale
Raptis Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed.
About the Seller
Raptis Rare Books
Biblio member since 2012
Palm Beach, Florida
About Raptis Rare Books
Founded by Matthew and Adrienne Raptis, Raptis Rare Books is an antiquarian book firm that specializes in literature, children's books, economics, photo books, signed and inscribed books, and landmark books in all fields. Our business model is simple: we strive to handle books that are in exceptional condition and to provide exceptional customer service.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Vellum
- Vellum is a sheet of specialty prepared skin of lamb, calf, or goat kid used for binding a book or for printing and writing. ...
- Colophon
- The colophon contains information about a book's publisher, the typesetting, printer, and possibly even includes a printer's...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Device
- Especially for older books, a printer's device refers to an identifying mark, also sometimes called a printer's mark, on the...
- Leaves
- Very generally, "leaves" refers to the pages of a book, as in the common phrase, "loose-leaf pages." A leaf is a single sheet...
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